The present invention relates to a processing apparatus for light-sensitive material, and more particularly relates to a processing apparatus for light-sensitive material in which a powder, granule or tablet type of solid processing agent is charged into a processing tank so as to be dissolved into a solution, and light-sensitive material is subjected to development in the processing solution.
In the conventional processing apparatus for light-sensitive material in which light-sensitive material is subjected to development, a replenishing solution to be charged into the apparatus is put in a transparent bottle. Therefore, an amount of the residual processing solution can be visually checked. Even when all the processing agent has been consumed, it can be immediately recognized, so that a display of the residual amount of the processing solution is not required. When the replenishing agent is used in the form of a processing solution, bottles to accommodate the processing solution are bulky and heavy, so that transportation and charge of the replenishing processing agent is not easy, and further environmental pollution such as smell is caused.
In order to solve the above problems, it can be considered to use solid processing agent in the form of powder, granules or tablets. The replenishing processing agent in the form of powder, granules or tablets can be easily supplied to the processing apparatus. However, unless the replenishing agent is supplied in an appropriate timed relation, the quality of processed light-sensitive material is deteriorated. In the case where the solid processing agent is mistakenly dropped outside the processing tank, an amount of the processing agent to be replenished becomes unbalanced. It is necessary that even an unskilled worker can control the charge of solid processing agent.
The present invention is to provide a processing apparatus for light-sensitive material capable of being operated by an unskilled worker, and the worker can safely charge the replenishing agent into the processing tank.
In the apparatus of the invention, the solid processing agent is accommodated in a cylindrical accommodating container (cartridge). Then the cylindrical accommodating container is set in a solid processing agent charging device of the automatic developing apparatus, and a predetermined amount of processing agent is supplied to a processing tank such as a developing or fixing tank. When a predetermined amount of processing agent is supplied, a large amount of solid processing agent is supplied to some tanks, and a small amount of solid processing agent is supplied to other tanks. In this case, a plurality of types of solid processing agents are packaged in one kit, wherein an amount of each solid processing agent is appropriately determined so as to meet the requirement for processing. As described above, an amount of each processing agent necessary for processing a predetermined amount of light-sensitive material is different for each processing tank. Therefore, the number of pieces of the solid processing agent in one kit is different for each processing tank. As one kit is provided in the above manner, when the development of a predetermined amount of light-sensitive material has been completed, all the solid processing agents in one kit are simultaneously consumed.
In this way, the processing agent can be controlled in the form of a kit. Accordingly, the stock control of the processing agent can be simplified, so that the processing agent in each processing tank can be controlled under the same condition. In an embodiment in which one kit of the solid processing agent is accommodated in one cartridge as it is, each cartridge corresponding to each processing tank can be replaced in the same timed relation, so that labor can be saved in the replacement of the cartridge. Since each cartridge corresponding to each processing tank can be simultaneously replaced, excellent effect can be provided in an embodiment in which the light-sensitive material processing operation must be stopped while the cartridge is being replaced.
In general, quality of the processing agent varies from lot to lot. Therefore, it is preferable that the processing agent of the same lot is used in the processing of light-sensitive material. Usually, the processing agents in one kit belong to the same lot. Therefore, when the processing agents are replaced in the unit of a kit, processing can be preferably executed.
As described above, when a kit of the solid processing agent is controlled, development of light-sensitive material can be very effectively controlled. However, when the above method is put into practical use, various problems are caused. For example, for some reasons (abnormality of the apparatus, abnormality of the solid processing agent, and the lack of the solid processing agent), one type of solid processing agent is consumed. In this case, a cartridge in which the solid processing agent has been consumed must be replaced. Therefore, the number of replacement is increased, and the solid processing agent of a different lot is simultaneously charged into the processing tank, and kit control becomes out of order.